Restoring the Colonia Güell church. Façades and surroundings

Abstract

Work on the facades and the surroundings of the Colonia Güell Church, under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, was finished in may 2003. The article outlines the different tasks carried out, the reasons for them and the procedures involved: the cleaning and consolidation of all the façade surfaces; restitution of materials, using the same as those original/y used when gaps would have affected future conservation of the area or meant a change in shape or colour; and which would have altered Gaudi´s original intention; the challenge offered by the perimeter walls, which were left unfinished when Gaudi left-to protect them once the various additions had been taken down-and then lo complete them, since unfinished walls would be incompatible with the main objective, which was that of a finished building, despite the fact Gaudi failed lo do so. Another task was the work on the surroundings (only partially carried out), which included, for example, reorienting the approach lo the grounds and lo the building -with the basic idea that Gaudi´s work should dominate the eye of the approaching visitor-the stone paving in the immediate vicinity of the church, bearing in mind the character; significance and use of the building, or the access to the new terrace, designed lo allow visitors lo discover completely new perspectives and perceptions.